Futons for Less Ltd./The Birkenstock Store - founded in 1986 -
is going out of business...
Zeke started hand-making Western-style futon mattresses and sofa/bed frames because they were practical and comfortable, and began selling Birkenstock® sandals - because they were comfortable and practical. Besides, you might need something to sit on when trying on footwear...
Zeke's small family-run local business became known as the quaint old house in Kensington that made and sold futons, and sold Birkenstock® sandals. Over the years, Zeke built up a reputation of superb customer service and excellent product knowledge based on two quality products related to comfort - for the body and for the feet.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
- attributed to Aristotle
We were the last Western-style futon mattress manufacturer in Alberta. We hand-made our futons on site in our shop. When our excellent cotton supplier in Burnaby, BC, retired at the end of 2018, we considered getting cotton directly from the USA or through our futon frame supplier in Ontario. The logistics were impossible. We realized we should retire from futons and focus on the Birkenstocks®.
We've always taken pride in ensuring our customers are fitted correctly in Birkenstock® footwear - it's part science and part art to get the fit right. Wrong style, wrong fit = unhappy feet. Our policy is to get the right style, right fit = happy feet.
And now we've decided to go out of business completely. What? Why? A number of reasons: increasingly we're affected by the online show-room tactics of internet shoppers looking for free Birkenstock® fitting services. Unlicensed backchannel resellers offer extreme discounts, but with no customer service, no correct fitting, and no quality control. Birkenstock® Germany took over the Canadian distributorship as of October 2019 to prevent further unscrupulous business habits ruining the reputation of their wonderful product. We understand that Birkenstocks® may eventually be sold through a controlled corporate system. A small venture like Zeke's won't fit into a corporate business model. He has to retire sometime, so now is a good time to retire, travel, get some exercise, enjoy life...
***Due to Covid19 closures and social/physical distancing, you can order your Birkenstocks by phone and credit card. Make an appointment to pick them up at the back door of the shop. Call the shop, talk to Zeke or leave a message.